NASCAR drivers starting from rear in Daytona 500, ft. Kyle Larson & Brad Keselowski

Former NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson started the 2025 season-opener Daytona 500 from the rear end, having qualified in 22nd position. Similar is the situation with many other star NASCAR drivers, including the likes of Brad Keselowski and Daniel Suarez.

With the 2025 NASCAR season now underway, the starting lineup for the 2025 Daytona 500 was determined after the conclusion of the Duel races on Thursday night. Chase Briscoe (#19), the latest addition to Joe Gibbs Racing, secured pole position, while Austin Cindric (#2) will line up beside him in second after winning the second Duel race.

Bubba Wallace (#23) took victory in the first Duel, earning himself the third starting spot, with Erik Jones (#43) completing the second row.

However, while some drivers celebrated their strong starting positions, others were left frustrated after failing to qualify near the front. Kyle Larson (#5), who is considered a contender for the 2025 title, could only manage 22nd place. His Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Alex Bowman (#48), fared even worse, qualifying 38th.

The likes of Josh Berry, Brad Keselowski, and Daniel Suarez faced a similar fate during the qualifying round, and are set to start way behind on the grid at 29th, 34th and 36th position respectively. Helio Castroneves, on the other hand, who is also making his Daytona 500 debut, starts from the extreme end of the grid at 41st.

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Starting grid for the 2025 Daytona 500

1. Chase Briscoe (#19)

2. Austin Cindric (#2)

3. Bubba Wallace (#23)

4. Erik Jones (#43)

5. William Byron (#24)

6. Chris Buescher (#17)

7. Ty Dillon (#10)

8. Denny Hamlin (#11)

9. Ross Chastain (#1)

10. Joey Logano (#22)

11. Tyler Reddick (#45)

12. Corey LaJoie (#01)

13. AJ Allmendinger (#16)

14. Todd Gilliland (#34)

15. Austin Dillon (#3)

16. Ryan Blaney (#12)

17. Chase Elliott (#9)

18. John Hunter Nemechek (#42)

19. Justin Allgaier (#40)

20. Christopher Bell (#20)

21. Kyle Busch (#8)

22. Kyle Larson (#5)

23. Ty Gibbs (#54)

24. Riley Herbst (#35)

25. Michael McDowell (#71)

26. Shane Van Gisbergen (#88)

27. Ryan Preece (#60)

28. Cody Ware (#51)

29. Josh Berry (#21)

30. Cole Custer (#41)

31. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (#47)

32. Noah Gragson (#4)

33. Carson Hocevar (#77)

34. Brad Keselowski (#6)

35. Justin Haley (#7)

36. Daniel Suarez (#99)

37. Zane Smith (#38)

38. Alex Bowman (#48)

39. Martin Truex Jr. (#56)

40. Jimmie Johnson (#84)

41. Helio Castroneves (#91)

Hendrick Motorsports' William Byron enters the 2025 Daytona 500 as the defending winner. He had finished ahead of his teammate Alex Bowman in a chaotic race last season.